OCTOBER 31, 2013

Mercedes and Ferrari both claim pitstop record

In recent days, both Mercedes and Ferrari have claimed to now hold the record for the fastest pitstop ever recorded in formula one.

We reported after Suzuka that Mercedes had stopped the clock during the Japanese grand prix at 2.02 seconds, which is 0.04 seconds faster than the previous pitstop record set earlier this season by Red Bull.

But at almost exactly the same time, Ferrari was also claiming a 1.95 second pitstop in Japan. "Who is right?" wondered Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt.

"It's always a question of what you measure, and how you measure it," Mercedes' team manager Ron Meadows is quoted as saying.

For instance, Ferrari reportedly times pitstops with its own overhead cameras, while Mercedes uses the timing done by the British broadcaster Sky.

Schmidt said Fernando Alonso's 'record' 1.95 second stop at Suzuka was actually timed as 2.11 seconds by the broadcaster.